SONNY'S PERGATORY

Sonny Gray is still a New York Yankee.

But you know Cashman,,, he's trying to make the right deal for the Yanks.  The Reds have some nice pieces that the Yankees should try to snag for Gray. But the Reds are weary as to if Gray can actually still pitch. We all know he can. We all know that he clearly couldn't hack it in a big market like the Bronx. So maybe if he goes to Cincy, he'll be able to blossom with no pressure. After all... no one's watching the Reds these days.

Sports Illustrated has this:

"The Yankees and Reds are still trying to work out a Sonny Gray deal. The hold up is in the return that New York would get from Cincinnati. The Yankees don’t seek very top prospects, but the ones just below, Double-A and Triple-A pitchers, are players that the Reds prefer not to trade."

I'm not sure this statement is 100% accurate as I've heard different things. By the way, that originally was sourced to Jon Heyman... what else is knew. But there are a few names that keep popping up when it comes to the Reds and Sonny Gray.

Photo of Scooter Gennett

Taylor Trammell... which is not happening. Jeter Downs, who was recently sent to the Dodgers.  The other one that you hear from time to time is Scooter Gennett… a second baseman, a baseball veteran that's been with the Reds since 2013.  Look, I have no idea who or if the Yankees can make a deal.  Ideally it would make sense for the Yankees to try and grab a young pitcher, but we'll just need to see.

Hey, it's the rumor season... and we're in it.  Gotta roll with it.

REDS INQUIRY COULD SEAL GRAY'S FATE

I'd hate to force a good man out of the Bronx, but it's clear things aren't working out for Sonny Gray and it's apparent that Brian Cashman isn't the biggest fan either, hinting on the radio the other day that the pitchers on the Yankees like Gary Sanchez a lot and like throwing to him... "except for Sonny Gray." The truth is Cash didn't have to say that at all... but he did.  And that's the kiss of death.

Now comes a report that the Reds have jumped in the hunt for starting pitching. And it looks like that starter could be Sonny Gray.

As #Yankees and #Reds discuss a Sonny Gray trade, one would expect Yankees to ask for Cincinnati’s top shortstop prospect, given injury to Didi Gregorius. His name: Jeter Downs. (Alas, Jeter spent this year in the Midwest League and probably isn’t ready to fill in at @MLB level.)

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 16, 2018

Jeter Downs... interesting. Ha!

Now who knows if this is just a quick check-in or the real thing.  I tend to believe this move could happen at any moment, but we'll see.

Stay tuned...